Prepare to fall head over heels for the wonderfully romantic palette of today’s real wedding. Dublin beauty Laura and Galway man Mark tied the knot in an astoundingly stylish celebration that was awash with muted autumnal tones. Above all else they wanted their guests to have a party they’d cherish forever and they picked the character-filled, sustainable wedding venue Horetown House in Co. Wexford to do so.
With glittering bridal style, the dreamiest first look photo on the aisle, toffee, blush and white roses, a masterclass in mixing and matching bridesmaids dresses, floral-filled ceremony with a stunning bloom and dried foliage arch, cool neon signage, a dazzling sparkler moment and even sausage dogs in tuxedos, this couple made their special day their own in stunning style. Memento Photography captured every second of true magic, we can’t keep you waiting any longer, it’s that good!
So, let’s get to know our fabulous couple a little bit more. Laura tells us, “We first matched on Tinder but did not meet for about a year after the initial match! Mark had asked me to meet him for a drink but I ghosted him. He reached out again a few months later but still no luck for him. We had followed each other on all social media so we could still keep up on each other’s lives. After a year or so I saw on his Instagram Stories he was at EP and was reminded of how handsome I thought he was, we started chatting for a few months on socials.”
After a few failed attempts of trying to take their online courting offline they had their first date in the Drury Buildings in Dublin in September 2017. “We had a wild night and ended up at a gig together and out until the early hours! It was the best first date, we had so much in common and from that first date we have been inseparable ever since!” Mark’s proposal was a big surprise and so romantic. He had hatched a master plan which firmly saw the wool pulled over Laura’s eyes.
She reminisces, “Mark had told me we were going to his home in Galway for his sister’s birthday, he told me to pack a bag and something to wear for dinner. We had stayed at my family house the night before and I went to a hair appointment, I stopped in the shops to get Mark’s sister flowers. I arrived back at the house with the flowers in my arms and Mark came frantically out to the car to meet me at the front door. He was acting so strange and was pulling everything out of my arms and ushering me into the house.”
“I just kept saying, ‘What are you doing?’ I walked into the house and the entire hallway was covered with rose petals and candles. It’s all a bit of blur but next thing I knew he was down on one knee. The kitchen door opened and my parents’ dog came out with my grandmother’s engagement ring she had left me around his collar, my mam and dad were peeping their heads out the door. I was so shocked I didn’t even say yes and my dad had to ask me what my answer was.”
The magic didn’t end there either. “It was so special as my family are so important to me so I loved the fact they were all were involved. I went up to get ready to go to Galway and when I came down Mark’s parents and sisters were standing in the kitchen… we weren’t going to Galway at all! There were flowers and gifts in the kitchen I was so overwhelmed with joy, and Mark had booked my favourite restaurant for dinner for us and our families that night. It was the most amazing day.”
For the couple, their number one priority for their wedding day was that their guests had the best time possible. “We wanted to make sure everything was seamless for them, by having everything in the one venue to the non-stop entertainment. Horetown House was the perfect venue for this as there is so many areas on offer that we felt you could spend the entire weekend in the one venue but still feel like each element was different and keep our guests engaged and excited.”
How sensational did Laura look on her wedding day in her sparkling floral embroidery gown by Milla Nova which included the dreamiest train? The botanical beauty of her ensemble continued with her custom floral headband by Aura Bridalwear and she added pretty bow heels.
“My mam said she knew Horetown House was ‘the one’ the second we walked into the Garden Room, as of all the venues we had seen we hadn’t smiled as much as we did there,” she remarks. Sweetly, the couple had their first look photo in the White Room before their ceremony. What a moment!
“I had always known I wanted an autumn wedding and Mark was happy to oblige, my own style would be very muted with not much colour so the neutral palette was always likely. We wanted autumnal but not the true oranges and yellows so we went for tonal neutrals and browns. It was polished but also still had a slightly rustic vibe.”
Getting the flowers and the styling perfect was the second biggest priority especially for the bride who delighted poring over every single little detail, right down to the PJs for her bridesmaids. “I had a 35-page PowerPoint breaking down each element and area of the wedding! It included mood boards, colour schemes, floral inspiration, and I even had colour swatches.”
Roses in shades of toffee, blush pink and white took centre stage in the breathtaking floral display which included an meadow aisle and a stunning ceremony arch comprising of dried foliage, tree branches, roses and more. “Hollie from The Rosehip and Berry Floral Studio played a huge part in making the vision come to life and Horetown were so flexible in letting us implement what we wanted to the venue!”
“Niamh the coordinator is just the most positive, lovely and helpful person to deal with, nothing we asked for was too much. Everything is so highly organised, with so many small details thought about, they are a sustainable venue which is amazing and grow lots of their own food and flowers.” The couple bonded over dance music so it formed the soundtrack to their unforgettable celebration.
“All of our ceremony music were slowed down versions of dance songs! I walked up the aisle to Finally by CeCe Peniston, and we included some Calvin Harris, Daft Punk and even Children by Robert Miles.” They didn’t want the ceremony to be too serious so Mark’s sisters Niamh and Ciara read a giggle-inducing ceremony reading which was the comedy poem He Never Leaves the Seat Up.
Their adorable sausage dogs Seamus and Peader made an appearance on their special day, wearing tuxedos! Can you cope with the cuteness, because we can’t.
She admits finding the dresses for her bridesmaids was the hardest part of the wedding planning. “They were from three different places to get the colour levels I wanted just right!” She opted for a palette of chocolate brown, taupe and champagne.
Dapper groom Mark and his groomsmen went for a heritage look with their attire which married beautifully with the theme. He wore a handsome three-piece tweed suit and he opted to go tieless.
As for wedding planning advice, Laura says to incorporate elements of fun into the day. “It brings so much joy and really sets the tone for your wedding! Also try and not stress about the planning and enjoy it as once you get to the wedding day it really goes in the blink of an eye!”
They held their reception in the Garden Room which was resplendent with a fairy light dashed ceiling that mirrored stars twinkling in the night’s sky. The tablescape styling drew on the same romantic concoction of tones with blush pink, taupe and brown taper candles and they had wooden sausage dog place names. How cute!
Reflecting on their experience at the elegant 17th-century country estate, Laura highlights, “We had moved out the wedding a full year due to Covid and they were so helpful and supportive. The venue had such an easy-going, relaxed vibe but still with lots of luxury touches and it matched our personalities. It’s also just so beautiful and has so much character and it will always have a piece of our hearts, it really is so special.”
They chose a tiered white cake with a textured base and their cake topper proudly declared them as Mr & Mrs Lucas. We adore their coordinating love-themed tattoos. Also, how chic was their “Till Death Do Us Party” wedding neon sign?
The couple held their Day Two in the Cellar Bar and and the party atmosphere was no way near easing. “We had lots of entertainment for it including an Irish trad band, a mentalist and a meal to ensure we were helping keep everyone’s hangovers at bay! It was wild!”
Summing up their dream wedding, Laura says, “It was the best weekend of our lives! I’m still not over the fact that’s its over! It was just a big party from start to finish, the vibe was just so energetic and happy and we just wanted everyone to have great craic!”
The couple haven’t gone on their honeymoon yet, but there was a very exciting reason for the delay. “We got the keys to our house the day before our wedding so we have been spending our time on this at the moment, we hope to get on one in 2025 and have a few ideas of where to go but nothing set in stone yet!
A huge thank you to our lovely couple Laura and Mark and Memento Photography and sharing this magical muted autumnal wedding at Horetown House with One Fab Day! You can see even more wonderful imagery in the gallery below.
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